Big Rocks for Strong Christ-Followers
Today’s Big Rock: Communication – Part V

Scripture Foundation: Matthew 23:23

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”

We have been studying communication, the first Big Rock for a Christ-follower who is strong and mature.

Good communication is key in any relationship and that is especially true in our relationship with God.

Good communication goes both ways. Each party has an opportunity to speak and then listens when the other is speaking.

We know that prayer is our way of speaking to God. What is God’s way of speaking to us?

No one knows every way that God gets His message across. Here are a few ways from my experience.

For me, the first and the greatest method is to hear from God while I read the Bible.

As I read, there are times when verses jump out at me. In other words, the Spirit of God in me brings my attention to certain verses. I underline these and do my best to never forget these verses that God wants to get in my mind.

I have heard the theory that the Bible is the only way God speaks to people these days. I do not buy that. I believe I have heard God speak to my spirit beyond what I read in the Scriptures. However, if it is God speaking, it never contradicts the Scriptures.

Some call these moments impressions from God. Certainly, we must be careful to realize that these impressions can be from our own strong desires. So, I give these impressions time and wait to see if they continue to press upon me or whether it was a passing moment of emotion.

Another way God has spoken to me is through other people.

It might be a preacher that God uses to get my attention. Like it is with Scriptures, sometimes something a preacher says strikes me so vividly that I feel certain it is God who is speaking to me.

There have been times when a friend or acquaintance says something to me that I cannot shake from my thinking. I have become convinced God used that person’s words to speak to me.

Impressions, what preachers say, what friends or acquaintances say, and other messages are only from God when they are consistent with the Bible. When God speaks, it never contradicts the Bible.

The bottom line is that God knows how to get through to us if we keep our hearts open to Him.

Intend that communication with God be a Big Rock in your walk with Him!

Father, I will pray, and I will listen with your help! Amen.